There is a great deal of misconception surrounding the white boxer. B.A.R.C. has constructed the following to educate our potential adopters (and anyone else who is interested) about white Boxers.

Myth #1:White Boxers are rare.

Fact: White Boxers are not at all rare. According to the American Boxer Club, white Boxers make up 25% of all Boxers in the United States. They are not the result of genetic birth defects, but simply result from a breeding where both the mother and the father have the gene for a white coat. Because of the propensity for breeding “flashy” Boxers in the United States, many white Boxer puppies are produced.

Myth #2:White Boxers are new.

Fact: Ch. Blanka v. Angertor, one of the founding bitches of the breed, was white. Many of the original Boxers were white and could be registered in Germany until 1925. Difficulty arose in using white Boxers in police work, as they could easily be seen at night. For this reason, Germany eliminated the ability to register white dogs and some breeders began to kill white puppies. This was the start of the controversy surrounding white Boxers.

Myth #3:White Boxers are unhealthy.

Fact: Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that white Boxers are more susceptible to diseases. An estimated 12-14% of white Boxers are deaf due to a lack of pigmentation of the hair cells in the ear and may sunburn more easily than colored Boxers. Most white Boxers that enter the B.A.R.C. program are not deaf and are the same as any other Boxer. They do not require any special care. Occasionally, B.A.R.C. does get a deaf white Boxer. We work closely with any potential adoptive families for our special needs Boxers and eventually the right home is found for these dogs as well.

Myth #4:White Boxers are albinos.

Fact: White Boxers are just Boxers with white coats, they are not albinos. Albinism in animals is defined as a complete lack of pigment. This is evidenced by pink eyes, and a complete lack of color anywhere on the body. All white Boxers have pigment in their eyes, most have spots on their body, and some have darker colored markings on their coat.

Myth #5:White Boxers cannot be registered with the AKC.

Fact: White Boxers can be registered and can compete in sporting events, however the Boxer breed standard indicates that 2/3 of the body must be brindle or fawn. Since white Boxers do not meet the breed standard, breeders feel that white Boxers are inferior to colored Boxers and less reputable breeders euthanize them at birth. B.A.R.C. does not support the genocide of white puppies as they make loving pets just like any other Boxer.

Myth #6: It is acceptable to breed your white Boxer.

Fact: It is irresponsible to breed your white Boxer regardless of bloodlines, etc. because of the higher incidence of deafness in whites. Breeding whites sustains the recessive gene, even if no ill effects are observed in the immediate offspring. A few generations down the line, an animal will suffer from a condition it must live with for life because you wanted to breed your white Boxer.